The Washington critic., 1887-01-22
WAsmNoroN. JANuAnY ea. 1ss7.
THE DISTRICT CoMMISsIOSERs
AND THE TEMPERANCE UsION.

AND THE TEMPERANCE UNION.
So great and manifold are the evils
of intcmporance that all efforts for
their mitigation arc commendable aud
deserve the God speed Of every good
citizen In the cause Of temperance,
however. as in my other, there Is
right way and u wrong way to proceed,
and the fewer mistakes Its advocates
make the sooner will they compas,
their objects.
Especially should they be careful
not to confound defective or obupX.
ious law with The officials who are
charged with iis administration, nor
assume that because the one ia bad the
other must necessarily be the sane.
We are a little afraid ihnt this Is what
our friends of the Wumen's Christian
Temperance Union nrc doing.
II Is well known that the laws re.
latinG TO the liquor traffic in the Dis
trict of Columbia are far from what
they should be- Here, ns elsewhere, Il
Is found difficult 10 frame regulations
and at the same time sufficiently re.
s,rictiyc to suit the Gyowed opponents
of the trade. Yet even the latter are
fully aware that until the manufacture
and sale of liquors are absolutely inhib.
tied, tue traffic, either openly with
license or surreptl,ously without II,
Is bound to continue. The question
must be dealt with as II Is now, not as
IL may be twenty years hence, and the
public sentiment Of the District, could
II be pollcd, would probably be found
TO favor high license system, so long
as intoxicating spirits remain an article
Of commerce.
The bill that passed the Senate last
winter would be au immense improve.
ment on the present law
1t would appear, however, from the
memorial of the Womcn's Christian
Temperance Union, presented in the
Senate yesterday, that their immediate
grievance Is not so much with the law
as with its alleged maladministratOn
and they institute charges, In the most
solemn manner and before the most
august body ofleglslators In the world
against the Commissioners of the Dis.
irict Of Columbia, that, true, would
compel the instant removal, If
not Impeachment, of these OIL.
GERS. Assuming the statements thus
presented to emanatG from rcsponsl.
bic sources of Information, this
is very serious matter; but we
arc constrained to feel that in pre-.
fcrring 30 sweeping an indictment the
petitioners have gone beyond their
depth and committed nn error that will
be more than likely TO react against the
interests of the cause which they repre-.
sent.
THE CRiTIO is not prepared TO be
lieve that the Commissioners are guilty
as charged. 1t will require good
deal more than the say so of the TEN
perance Union, respectable as Its mem
bers unqueslionably urc, To make u,
believe that Mcssrs. Webb, WhGO,cy
and Ludlow are pandcring 10 the dis
reputable elements of the community
violating their oaths of office from day
TO day, systematically ignoring the law.
by which they should bc governed, an
conniving with gamblers, rum.seller'
and brothel keepers for the hroadcas
dissemination of vice.
Considering the aggressive directnes
and conspicuous publicity with whlcl
these charges are made, the complain
ants should not only he given full op
poItunity but be vigorously required l.
make them good. The Commissioner
are to be considered innocent until nd
judged guilty, 1t deyolves upon tn
prosecutors to prove their case. Mcr
assertions, unsupported by affidavit o
evidence, amount to nothing, eXcoptln
as they rctlec, injurlousy upon til
honor and honesty Of the District Gov
ernment, and create Impressions abror
the prejudice of the interests Of tn
whole District.